UPDATE: Tornado Watch Issued for Massachusetts, WPD Clears Fields

Wednesday, 5:45 p.m.—The National Weather Service (NWS) has declared a tornado watch for Woburn and most of Eastern and Central Massachusetts. The watch is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday night.

Around 4:30 p.m., reports of tornadoes touching down in the western part of the state spread across Twitter.

Woburn Police sent cruisers to the city's ballfields in an attempt to clear them of coaches, teams and children. Patrolmen reported that the fields were clear. 

Possible tornadoes were sighted in Westfield and Agawam and the NWS reported on Twitter that a tornado had touched down in Springfield; photos were posted on Twitter.

On the Springfield Police radio band, police reported that the MassMutual Center arena and convention center would be used as a rally point for the Red Cross and shelter for anyone displaced from their homes. Police reports also included building collapses and reports of people injured.

Wednesday, 1:10 p.m.—The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Massachusetts, including Middlesex County. The watch will remain in effect until 8 p.m. tonight. 

According to the NWS, tornado watches are issued when "conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area."

Tornado watches are normally issued "well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather," according to the NWS glossary.

"During the watch, people should review tornado safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches," said the NWS in a statement." 

Wednesday, 4:45 a.m.— We could see some thunder, lightning and hail Wednesday afternoon, according to a National Weather Service hazardous weather outlook issued Tuesday.

The NWS is forecasting mostly sunny skies in Woburn until 3 p.m., when scattered showers and thunderstorms could produce heavy rain and hail.

“The main threats would be strong winds and large hail,” said the NWS in a statement.

Temperatures are expected to hit the mid-80s Wednesday. After the rain, the NWS is predicting temperatures to stay in the low 60s, high 50s Wednesday night. 

—Dann DeMaina contributed to this report.